Uphill but one month down

Mail is the most wonderful thing in the world. I got a letter and a package from my mom in the mail this week and they made me feel spectacular! My new life here will force me to appreciate the small things more because my days are much simpler and slower. Getting letters always makes me miss my grandma because she used to write me long letters no matter where I was in the world she always wrote me and prayed for me.
This week in general has been much better than last week. D and Ir are getting used to me and me to them. They aren't horrible kids they are just testing the waters seeing how far I will let them go. D is the older one and she is very competitive and strong willed. She likes to play sports and do anything that involves competition which is fine with me because I am not very competitive at things that I don't love, which would be every sport :). When I tell D to do something she likes to sweetly ask Ir to do it for her and then when I tell her she can't do that she asks, "why not the job is getting done isn't it?" Haha yes, yes it is. Ir is the younger girl and she is more careful. She loves to play card games with me they require a different type of skill than sports. Ir also is more sensitive to her surroundings.
The girls parents are coming home today which will be nice for them but I am sad to see the grandparents go. They have been nothing but loving and kind and the grandma cooks such wonderful things! However I will see them this summer when we are all in Greece.

Everyone I have met here has been so kind. The family has been so welcoming and open. My flatmates regularly ask me how I am doing and are genuinely interested in helping me transition since all of them are from other countries as well. People in the stores are helpful if a bit standoffish compared to America, which I actually like. People on the streets have stopped and helped me with directions when I have been standing with a map wishing I could read it. It could be because I am a young girl by myself and I look completely vulnerable. Or it could be because people in general just want to help others and when exposed to those in need we rise to the occasion no matter how insignificant it may seem. This isn't to say that I haven't experienced the right in my face "Ca va?" (how are you) from random creepy French guys, or had one million people budge in front of me in any type of line, or had the, "oh la la, vous etes americain (shakes head in a disappointed way)".

My French classes are going ok. I am finding that I am beginning to understand a lot more of what people are saying to me which is great, except that most of the time I have no idea what to say back to them, and it takes me a couple of seconds to comprehend what they are saying so I usually just look pretty stupid, but hey I am fine with that. My goal in my conversational class this week is to uuumm actually say stuff. I know that sounds a little repititious is conversation class I should be involved in conversations...but mostly I just sit and try to grasp what's going on.